Heartstrings

Well hello there!  I have been busy running around like crazy and organizing (YIKES!) my studio.  What a job!  A local store has a resell shop that takes your gently used papercrafting items and sells them.  You get 1/2 of the purchase amount so it is a great way to make a little extra cash.  I just got back from dropping off a LARGE bag of stamps.  I figure that if I haven't used them in a year then I don't need to have them here taking up space, right?
Today I want to share with you a fun stamp that I did for a swap with the group Art For The Creative Mind called Heartstrings and Layers.  We were asked to make a card so this is what I came up with.  I used one of the newest stamps from Magnoliscious.  I needed the heartstrings so I drew them on myself.  Isn't she cute?  Add a pretty bow and voila'!  I'm off to sort some of the crap, opps-some of the really neat stuff, on my desk.  It would be nice not to have to work in a 5" x 5" KWIM?  I hope you are enjoying your day!  Love, Elle

It was a Valentine Card

It was a Valentine card!  Really, it was.  BUT my sil had a birthday coming up and we needed a quick card so this one just as quickly became the card of choice.  There isn't much to say about it.  The card is self-explanitory.  It had to get in the mail so I left out the "Happy Valentine Day" and added "Happy Birthday" sentiments on the inside of the card.  I usually don't like pink and red together but this time I think it worked great.  I have been saving this image for just the right card!  Love, Elle

Beach time!

Last summer my best buds, Carol and Jim, renewed their wedding vows on the beach in Hawaii at sunset.  How romantic is that?!!!!  Here is the card that I created for them.  Their actual 25th anniversary was in November.  Can we say late?  I love the sand on this card and the beachy background.  The in her hair were yellow.  Enjoy the card!  Oh yeah!  Mom, dad, big sis, and baby are all home now doing fine.  Love, Elle

Baby Time!

As I speak my step-son and his wife are in the hospital awaiting the Dr.  Will this be the day?  I had to hurry up and make a baby card to go along with their gifts.  I received this beautiful flower in a swap with the group Art For The Creative Mind.  I couldn't wait to use it!  Baby Tilda was the perfect choice to showcase their new (about to be) baby girl Angela.  Isn't it sweet that they are naming it after Charlie's daughter who passed at 5 hrs. old?  So special.  I'm about to decide whether or not to go to my cooking class at William Sonoma.  Charlie (dh) says go and he will call me.  The hospital is about 45 minutes away from us and he seems to think we will have time.  Amber and Todd have a little girl, Madison, from her previous relationship so this isn't her first child and we all know how fast things can go the second time around!  Without further delay here is my card.  p.s.  I sure have missed you while I have been gone!  Love, Elle

It's all about the birds!

A couple of months ago I visited the Checkered Cottage (a quaint store in Kirkwood, Missouri) and saw this darling card with birds and buttons.  I just HAD to make one like it!  I love how the button accents add just the right touch to the card.  I need some more practice lining up border punches but that is what it is all about, isn't it!  Well, I'm off to get ready for yet another surgical proceedure on my back this morning but wanted to post a quick one first!  Toodles!  Love, Elle

Halloween treat bags

I was at a resturant last year that served it's silverware in this skinny white paper bags that I thought would be good for something crafty so I asked the manager is she would be willing to donate so to a good cause (my art studio lol) and she readily agreed.  What I didn't expect was th 200-250 she bagged up for me!  They have been sitting here all of this time when I got the brilliant idea of making Halloween treat bags for my grandkids Halloween parties at school.  We also made some to donate to a church for their anual Trunk or Treat event.  My sis and I spent several afternoons stamping, punching, stuffing, and attaching upwards of 115 treat bags.  Below are two samples on how they turned out.  The second set was attached with some monster cupcake pics that I made but never used.  Aren't they cute?  Love, Elle

Pretty in blue

I titled today's post "pretty in blue" because I ADORE the blues in the card that I just made.  Every time I think I have a new favorite another line of paper comes along and catches my eye and my heart.  Aren't these papers from Little Yellow Bicycle divine? 
I started off masking Tilda along with the romantic window stamp from Magnolia-liscious.  This is the first time that I tried masking and I must say that it was super easy!  I received a new flower die from My Favorite Things and thought it would be the perfect accent for my card.  I colored with my trusty Copic markers, layered my card, and added my sentiment and voila'!  Easy peasy.  I hope that you enjoyed today's post.  Love, Elle

Fall card

I am so behind that I missed a TOMIC challenge that involved this sketch!  I decided to do a Fall based card using Fall colored flower soft for the flowers.  I love the pagers and the rolled flowers as well as the sweet, sweet grass she is sitting on.  It feel good to be creating again.  I will have another new card in a day or two! Off to do some exercising upstairs in my little 'gym'.   Love, Elle

It's Birthday Time!

It's birthday time for my grandson Jacob so of course I had to hand make his card.  He is very into Karate so what better image than  Karate Tilda to use. Isn't she adorable? I tried to elliminate that pigtails but didn't have much success so a girl it is!  Jacob will be turning 12 next Sunday- I can't believe it-he was just born!  Jessica and Brian decided to have a party for him this year and he has asked if he can bring his girlfriend.  Isn't that cute?  Of course there will be no dating but they talk on the phone and hang out at school.  They don't want anyone to know about them because they don't want to be teased.  You know how middle school can be!  For this card I colored her with Copics, making her belt green to match his level.  I made my own Washi tape using 1" scor tape, some tissue paper, and some background stamps.  It was so much fun!  The possiblilities are endless.  I got the idea from the Monday Make It video over at Papertrey Inc. 
I die cut the number twelve in black and green so I could have a shadow effect and tied a bright green bow for my accent.  What do you think?  It sure is nice to be back!!!!  Love, Elle

My Life

I have been absent from blogging for a bit but wanted to stop in and say "hey"!  I have been busy dealing with health issues and needed to get them out of the way to the best of my abilities so I could concentrate on some artistic endeavors.  I have been working on a few cards and will be posting them soon.  I like to have a couple done before I drag out my lightbox and take pics.  How is everybody?  Great, I hope!  Love, Elle